Halloween Treats

I saw this treat idea on line somewhere

and gave it a try.

They were pretty easy, except for 

designing a way to hold them up

while the chocolate dried.

Simply take large pretzel rods and 

cover with melted chocolate.

Them embellish with white

chocolate and then color

some of the white chocolate 

orange and drizzle over the 

pretzels.  I used

a small squeeze bottle with a small tip.

It worked perfect.

It's my special treat for a few

special trick or treaters tonight.

 

Until  Next Time-Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today: 

Looking Out My Window: Well, the wind has been blowing for days and an amazing amount of the leaves have blown down.

 

My Weekend Plans Include: The Fig Leaf is having their 5th Saturday Bag day, so it means Saturday is a work day.  Sunday, of course, is Halloween and we usually only have a handful of kids come.  Of course, we have more than a handful of candy!

I’m Reading: I got the latest copy of Cooking Light in the mail and it is full of wonderful recipes.  It's good reading.

Movie Marquee:  An American Rhapsody and Young @Heart.

Something Quiltie: Earlier this week I remade my list of UFO's.  I have worked on a few already and have crossed off 5 items, 4 finished and one project has left my studio for good. Yea!  How many did I have to start?  Only 21!

One of My Favorite Things: I have never been a coffee drinker.  I don't know why, but I love the smell of coffee.  When Ed roasts his coffee beans, or grinds them, and brews it, it's one of my favorite smells.

I’m Thinking About: How positive and powerful a few encouraging words can be.  If someone is feeling down or discouraged, your words can have such a uplifting effect.  Even the words that roll around in my head to myself, need to be a positive affirmation. Those words can provide pleasure and can determine our next steps.  Lift your spirits, along with someone else, and make it a habit to say something positive.

What’s For Dinner: I made chicken noodle soup yesterday, so a repeat will be perfect for tonight as well.

A Favorite Photo:

 Jane and Kyle

Halloween, 1960

Until Next Time-Kyle

Halloween

We all loved Halloween,

especially, when the girls were little.

 Everyone would begin thinking about their

next year's costume, November 1st.

I loved sewing and making everyone's costumes.

And the girls loved wearing them all year long

for dress up and make believe.

It was perfect.

Invariably, the weather would be Indian Summer,

sometimes right up to the afternoon of Halloween, 

and then could turn into a raging blizzard.

It was always so disheartening to have cover up

our wonderful creations

with a coat, hat, mittens, and boots.

Note the wonderful sunny day.

Did it last?

Probably not!

Elizabeth, 1990, Cleopatra

Jessica, Snow White

Kate, A Southern Belle

Until Next Time-Kyle

UFO's

Once in a while you have to take an

inventory of what projects you have started

and, for whatever reason, have not finished.

Today I looked around my studio 

and with paper and pencil in hand and counted the

quilting projects that where "Projects in Progress".

I looked in the closet, in the cupboard,

on the shelves, on the floor and 

out in plan sight.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Not as many as I had expected.

Now remember, these are ones that I have started 

to some degree, not just collections

of fabric and patterns.

This process is what we do each January

in Stashbusters, the class at the Fig Leaf.

But on Pat Sloan blog, she presented a good

strategy of what to do once you have a list.

I thought about each project and

separated them into groups of "almost done"

to "barely started".

From there I quickly numbered them in

order of importance or decided if

I really want to finish it.

It was a  challenging thing to do today.

I already had a list, but found

more projects, ones that I had started this year.

Even if you're not a quilter,

the sorting process is a good one.

It gives you a good picture of where you are

and what you want to accomplish.

Give it a try.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Is the Doctor In?

When my son-in-law, Don was growing up,

each summer he enjoyed "Greek Camp".

When he was too old to go as a camper,

he had been trained as an EMT, so he

went as the camp's medical person.

He was known as Doctor Don.

Well, yesterday it became official.

He presented his dissertation with a

seminar and a defense with his graduate committee.

He now is Dr. Don!

Elizabeth and Don

Now there are 2 doctors in the house.

Don and his parents who came from Michigan for the big event.

Then it was time to party with friends, family and colleagues.

Great job, Don.

I have to admit I didn't understand the topic, but his 

presentation was great.  

Don can create molecular animations

on the computer to show

people like me what he's talking about.

I may still not understand, but the animation is great.

The best part is that he has his 

postdoc all set up and he's ready to

go to work, ie a real job, on Monday.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Laugh Together

Most nights when I get home from work

it is so easy and comfortable to 

just sit and unwind.

Last night I could have easily done that. 

It's been a long week already and it was

only Tuesday.

But instead I kept moving and 

I'm always glad when I do.

The Quilting Buddies got together

 and enjoyed our traditional fall meal,

Cathy's wonderful chili, 

Norma's two delicious desserts,

did some sewing 

and laughed and laughed.

We were missing three of our friends, but here we are.

We have met together for almost 20 years + 

WOW!

Where else can you learn about 

quilting ideas

Cathy's daughter, Sara's quilt

Sara came to visit to see what we were all about.

oo and ha over Norma lovely embroidery

talk about food,

recipes,

travel,

stashbusting

jaunting for junk,

good deals,

gripe about things,

aches and pains,

and 

things I shouldn't write about here!

Becky knows but she's not telling either.

Thanks Quilting Buddies

for always making

our time together special.

It's good for my heart.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Rock and Roll Weekend

It's all about team work.

When faced with daunting tasks,

call in the full team.

Elizabeth and Don, being new home owners,

called in the fam for more working hands 

in order to get the fall yard work done.

A load of compost added to the garden

I dug holes for spring bulbs.

 Someday I am going to live in a place for the dirt is

loose and fluffy. Not pure clay

and rocks.

Jessica and Martin winterized the lawn 

and made lunch.

Martin taking a break.

Mac, the kitty, supervised, showed off by climbing 

the tree to the highest branches, and helped me 

with the hole digging.

Where was Don in all of this team work?

Inside, poor guy, getting ready for his

doctoral defense on Thursday!

The weekend was complete when 

Elizabeth and Ed ran in the Rock and Roll

Race around Denver.

 They completed the half marathon run.

As you can see it's all about families

working together. 

It made for a rock and roll weekend.

Until Next Time- Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today:

Looking Out My Window:  Fall happened while I was gone.  The mornings are very crisp and it is sock weather again. Enjoy these beautiful Autumn days.

My Weekend Plans Include:  Elizabeth has plans for us.  I think it includes yard work.  She and Ed also plan to run in the Rock and Roll half marathon race on Sunday.  Notice I was not included in those plans, just the yard work.

I’m Reading: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. It's his recollections of his boyhood in Des Moines, Iowa in the 50's.  For those of us who can relate, it's pretty enjoyable.

Something Quiltie: Stashbusters was yesterday and I was the presenter.  I shared the top ten techniques for becoming a great Stashbuster.  They included making and donating charity quilts, good for the stash and good for the heart, , knowing that old magazines are generally that, so keep only your favorites, and rejecting the pilot program, you know the one, pile it there or pile it here.  And the #1 way to become a terrific Stashbuster is to include some retail therapy.  It's good for your mental health, brings life to "older fabrics" and keeps my world perfectly balanced.

One of My Favorite Things: I love hamburgers. I just went to Smashbuger for the first time this week. The classic burger tasted like it had been grilled outside. My kind of burger.

I’m Thinking About: The importance of matching our words with our actions. 

What’s For Dinner: It's "Every Man for Himself".  Ed always comes up with something better than I do and then I want what he's having.  Solution:  Ed should just make double.

A Favorite Photo:  

The sunrise on Sanibel Island
Couldn't you enjoy that everyday?

Until Next Time-Kyle

Sanibel Island

I can definetly see why snowbirds

head to Florida in the winter.

I was there for perfect "tropical paradise" weather.

 

Part of my visit with Kate included a trip to Sanibel Island.

It's just off the coast from Fort Myers on the gulf side.

It's know for it beautiful beaches

 

and "seashells by the seashore".

We spent a good deal of time doing the 

"Sanibel stoop".

I would definitely go back if I had the chance.

Check out Kate's blog, to see

what else we were up to.

It was a good trip. 

Until Next Time-Kyle

Fabulous Friday

For today: 

Looking Out My Window: No signs of fall here.  The palm trees are swaying, I'm soaking up the sun, a lizard just ran past the door, and it's going to be hot and humid.

My Weekend Plans Include: a Florida adventure.  We're heading to Naples, not Italy, and then on to Sannibel Island for some shopping, shell hunting, Florida sunshine and good eats.

I’m Reading: Last weekend I drove past Barnes and Noble and noticed a small caravan of Sisters on the Fly trailers.  The author of the book, Sisters on the Fly, Irene Rawlings was doing a book signing.  I had to stop.  I would love to have one of these delightful trailers.  Anyone know where I can get one?  Take time to look at their website, it will make you want one too.

Something Quiltie: No vacation is complete without one stop at a quilt shop.  Stopped at Once Upon A Quilt, a shop in Fort Lauderdale. It fun how each shop takes on a personality of their own, specializing in different types of fabrics and styles.

One of My Favorite Daughters: Kate.  It's wonderful having grown up daughters.  She is a special friend, and companion.  She makes me laugh, smile, and burst with pride.

I’m Thinking About: Will I meet Sally today?  Who's Sally?  The alligator that lives at Kate's museum.  

While Kate's working, I hope to take a swamp tour. You know, one of those air boats that whips across the Everglades.

What’s For Dinner: Some good seafood, I hope.

A Favorite Photo:  

Do you see the babies?

Until Next Time-Kyle

October Eye Candy

With the hint of fall in the air, 

it's time to put away the summer quilts 

and exchange them for quilts the colors of fall.

Thought I'd show you 3 different styles from my collection.

"Have a Wonderful Fall", 2007

One of the few quilts that I have made with a jelly roll.
(precut 2 1/2" strips)

The colors and fabrics are bright and vibrant and whimsical.

"Harvest Home" 2004

This quilt was a free Moda pattern.  I put it together
for the shop as a sample to sell the kits we made.

It's the deeper, richer, more subdued colors of fall.
The pattern is more traditional.

"Crazy Pumpkins", 2006

The pumpkins are hand appliqued with different
embroidery stitches creating the pumpkin patterns.
Definitely, folk art influenced.
It was made all from my stash.

It's a good study of tertiary color scheme,
purple, orange and green.

There were several of my friends working on the same project
at the same time. They can be very motivating in completing a project.

Now is the time to pull out those fall decorations.
And quilts make it perfect.

Until Next Time-Kyle

Good Eats

Looking for something new to cook 

for dinner?

Ed pulled this out of "his" cookbook.

So Good!

And it has veggies, too!

Linguine with Asiago, Toasted Walnut, and Fresh Asparagus Pesto

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 1/2 lbs. fresh large asparagus- We cut off some of the heads of asparagus and cook separately, not so well done, to garnish at the end.

1/2 c water

2 t. lemon juice

1/2 t kosher salt

2 garlic cloves

For the pasta:

1 lb. linguine

1 cup asiago cheese, grated (you can use Parmesan cheese)

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Procedure:

1. Rinse asparagus and snap off tough ends if needed.  Place in a large stockpoot and cover with water.

2.. Bring water to a boil over high heat.  Cover pot and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until asparagus is very tender when pierced with a  fork.  Drain well.

3. Place asparagus in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Add water, lemon juice and salt. Process adding more water if necessary, until puree is thick and smooth.  You made need to process the asparagus in two batches.

4. Cook linguine until al dente, then strain. Toss with 2 cups of asparagus sauce, grated asiago and chopped walnuts. Serve.  You may freeze any leftover asparagus sauce for future use. 

Until Next Time-Kyle